Ripping device for stitching



Aprifi 12, 1955 W 'FREEARK 2,706,070

RIPPING DEVICE FOR STITCHING Filed Dec. 12, 1951 United States PatentRIPPING DEVICE FOR STITCHING Thelma W. Freeark, Columbia, Mo.Application December 12, 1951, Serial No. 261,325 1 Claim. (CL 223-1)This invention relates to appliances for use by seamstresses, theprimary object being to provide a novel tool to aid in the removal ofstitching.

Tailors, seamstresses, garment manufacturers, and those generallyconcerned with the field of clothing and the like, can well appreciatethe need for a satisfactory device to aid in the removalof stitchingdiffering from the ordinary razor blade or sharp knife methods, andcapable of permitting rapid removal of stitching without damage to thecloth that follows from the manner of removing stitching now commonlypracticed. Razor blades, knives, scissors and the like are not onlydangerous and likely to cause injury to the user, but it is quitecommonplace for the user to accidentally damage the cloth when suchcontrivances are used. Furthermore, the grain of the fabric is animportant factor and should be kept in consideration at all times, butis virtually disregarded when removing stitching by the means now beingemployed universally.

it is the most important object of the present invention therefore, toprovide a tool that is entirely fingermanipulated and capable ofgrasping the stitching in a manner to permit pulling the same andthereby breaking the thread to remove several stitches during each step.

A further object hereof is to provide a stitching remover that includesa pair of relatively shiftable members adapted to receive a thread endand a loop forming a part of one of the stitches and to firmly hold thesame as the operator gently pulls in line with the warp or woof of thefabric to break the thread and thereby remove several stitches from thecloth.

Another object hereof is to provide an instrument of the aforementionedcharacter wherein a long line of stitching may be quickly and easilyremoved while opcrating upon but one face of the fabric without leavingany loose ends or thread fragments on the cloth that must be laterpicked off by a tedious, time-consuming operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a stitchingremover in the nature of a pair of crossed, pivotally interconnectedelements having thread gripping means at one end thereof, the edges ofthe elements adjacent the gripping means being blunt to avoid cutting ofthe thread during gripping thereof and the remaining lengths of theblade portions of the elements being sharpened whereby the instrumentmay also be used as clippers so far as cutting the thread is concerned.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a stitchingremover wherein is provided finger indentations on the blades andfinger-receiving fluting on one of the handles of the relativelyswingable elements, all for the purpose of aiding in the manipulationthereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a ripping device for stitching madepursuant to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an inverted, elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top perspective view of the instrument showing the manner ofholding the same.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of using theinstrument; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed, cross-sectional view takenon line V-V of Fig. 4.

While the stitching remover forming the subject matter of this inventionand illustrated in the drawing, has much the same outward appearance asa small scissors, it cannot possibly be used as a scissors but only as athread clipper because of the manner of operation by fingermanipulation. Other important features are provided to adapt the devicefor use in removing stitching as will hereinafter be made clear.

To this end therefore, there is provided a pair of elongated, crossedelements 10 and 12 pivotally interconnected at the point of crossing bymeans of a pin or the like 14. A pair of handles 16 and 18 are therebypresented on one side of the pivot point 14 and a pair of blades 20 and22 on the opposite side of the pivot pin 14. The outermost free ends ofthe blades 20 and 22 remote from the pivot pin 14 are blunt as at 24 inthe manner shown clearly by Fig. 5 of the drawing, while the remaininglengths of the innermost edges 26 and 28 respectively, are sharpened forsliding interengagement upon manipulation of the tool. In other words,the sharpened lengths 26 and 28 are the only portions of the innermostedges of elements 10 and 12 that actually come into intimate contactduring relative swinging movement or the elements 10 and 12. Theproximal races of the blades 20 and 22 adjacent the blunt lengthsthereof, are roughened as at 30 and 32 respectively in any suitablemanner such as by raised knurling, and constitute the only portions ofthe proximal faces of elements 26 and 26 that interengage.

Means for manipulating the elements 10 and 12 in cludes finger-receivingindentations 34 and 36 on blades 20 and 22 respectively. As shown inFigs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the indentations 34 and 36 are disposedbetween the pivot point 14 and the corresponding blunt edges 24 and areconcave to conform substantially to the digits of the hand when placedin use in the manner shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. Theindentations 34 and 36 are on the outermost faces of the blades 20 and22 and slope inwardly toward the innermost edges of the blades 20 and22. But the innermost ends of the indentations are spaced from thecorresponding sharpened edges to avoid in ury to the fingers during use.

As a further means to permit and aid in the manipulation of the tool,the outermost edge of the handle 18 is fluted to present a pair offinger-receiving undulations 38 and 40.

lt is preferred of course, that the entire instrument be made fromsuitable metal with the handles integral with the blades, but othermaterials might well be used to present a less expensive instrument. Itis possible of course, to make use of synthetic plastic materials atleast in the handles 16 and 15 by virtue of the fact that many methodsare today being used for molding metallic parts with the syntheticmaterials.

In use, the instrument is grasped in the manner shown by Fig. 3 of thedrawing. lt is noted that the tool lies within the palm of the hand 42,with thumb 44 in the indentation 34 of blade 20, the forefinger 46within the indentation 36 of blade 22, and the 4th and 5th digits 48 and50 within undulations 38 and 40 respectively. The outermost arcuate edgeof the handle 16 bears against the palm of the hand 42, and thus, bysqueezing of the handles 16 and 18 together or toward each other, theblades 20 and 22 are likewise swung toward each other and intooverlapping relationship. The blades 20 and 22 are separated by applyingpressure thereto between the thumb 44 and the index finger 46 andshifting these tWo digits 44 and 46 relatively while pressure is appliedto the blades 20 and 22.

A line of stitching 52 in a piece of fabric 54, is shown in Fig. 4 ofthe drawing and in placing the tool in operation, the user first usesthe sharp edges 26 and 28 to cut or clip the threads forming a part ofthe stitching 52 adjacent one end of stitching 52. Thread end 56 isthereupon grasped and pulled to present a loop. 58. By the presentationof three thread lengths 56 and 58, the threads from the sewing machinebobbin and the spool are grasped together, and the difliculty of holdingthe stitching is reduced. Thus, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, thetwo thread portions forming the loop 58 and the thread length 56, aregrasped between the blades 20 and 22 and particularly between thegripping means that is presented by the roughened faces 30 and 32thereof.

The fabric 54 is held by the left hand above the line of stitching 52and the right hand 42 is moved toward the operator. Such action ripsboth threads and simultaneously pulls the same out of the fabric,avoiding the necessity of going back to pick up small thread fragmentsthat are normally left on the material by other methods of removingstitching. The pulling action leaves both the broken end of the threadand the loop on the fabric ready for the next ripping operation as theuser proceeds downwardly along the line of stitching 52. Once the threadand the loop are gripped between the blades 20 and 22 at the roughenedareas 30 and 32, the operator should pull in short, quick rhythmicmotions with a snap to break both threads. By manipulating digits 44 and46, the blades 20 and 22 can be easily and quick 1y separated to releasethe broken threads. Thereupon, when the operator is ready to grasp thethread end and the loop for another gripping operation, the handles 16and 18 can be moved toward each other by merely closing the hand.

It is significant to note that ripping may commence anywhere in the lineof stitching. It is noted that the blade 20 is pointed and relativelynarrow as compared with the wider blade 22. Such pointed blade 20 may beextended into the line of stitching 52 until the thread breaks, or untilthe thread reaches the sharpened edge 26, whereupon the thread may beclipped. Here again, the thread should be clipped on both sides of thematerial 54 and pulled through to form a loop 58 and a thread end 56.

Many times the line of stitching 52 is not in line with the grain of thefabric, i. e. not coincident with the warp or woof, and in such cases,it is always preferable to rip with the grain. Through use of theinstrument here of, it is possible to rip the line of stitching 52 insuch manner with respect to the grain, thereby preventing separating ofthe threads of the material 54, avoid raveling and stretching of thefabric and preventing frayed edges and other damaging effects to thepiece of goods. When the blades are closed as shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawing, the threads are firmly gripped by virtue of the roughening 30and 32 and are not cut by the pulling action because of the bluntness orrounded edges adjacent the roughening 30 and 32 as at 24. Further, theclosed instrument rests firmly and comfortably in the palm of the handwhereby the pressure is distributed evenly, thereby providing thenecessary force to firmly hold the threads and permit the rippingaction. It is preferred that the raised, roughened surfaces 30 and 32grip the thread tightly without the necessity of finger pressure,thereby avoiding tiring of the operator during continued use.

The tool will fit any size hand and can be used evenly by left-handedoperators with the same controlled action as when used in the mannerherein illustrated. No damage will occur to the fabric 54 nor will theoperator likely be injured as in the case of use of highly sharpenedinstruments. The speed at which a long line of stitching 52 may beremoved is an extremely important factor not only when the tool isadapted for home use, but in factories where all types of stitchings arefrequently partially or fully removed.

Accordingly, while but one form of my invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it is manifest that such changes and modifications as mayfairly come within the spirit of the invention as defined by the scopeof the appended claim, are contemplated hereby.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

A stitching remover comprising a pair of elongated, crossed elementscoextensive in length; means pivotally connecting the elements at theirpoint of crossing, presenting a pair of blades on one side of thepivotal means and a pair of handles on the opposite side of the pivotalmeans, the proximal faces of the blades adjacent the ends thereof remotefrom the pivotal means being fiat and knurled, presenting threadgripping means disposed for overlapping interengagement when the handlesare together, the innermost edges of the blades being blunt adjacentsaid gripping means and slidably interengageable throughout the lengthsthereof between the pivotal means and the gripping means; means forseparating the blades including directly opposed, concave indentationson the outermost faces of the blades substantially midway between saidpivotal means and said gripping means, said indentations beingdish-shaped, one complementally with the ball of the thumb and the othercomplementally with the first finger of a hand of a user, bothindentations being inclined toward said innermost edges of the blades inmerging relationship therewith, whereby the indentations open at one endthereof at said innermost edges of the blades; and means for aiding inmovement of the blades together including finger-receiving fluting onthe outermost edge of the handle corresponding to Ehe blade having theindentation for receiving said first nger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS BellAug. 29, 1950

